It's supposed to be in the 60's again today, then a cold front is supposed to come through for the weekend. I am so confused on how to dress, and while I love having a window cracked open for the fresh breeze, one never knows what it will be like next. Today it's overcast (hence holding the heat in I guess?) but smells like rain, and I guess that wouldn't be so bad--I would rather have it rain and get it over with than sit with these gloomy grey skies, even if it is warm out.
Reimond has the Influenza A, diagonsed at the clinic and confirmed by the hospital lab next door to the clinic. He has been a pretty sick cookie, and like the swine flu of a few years ago, hit him suddenly like a ton of bricks. I need to run to Walmart and get an rx for Aurora and I of tamiflu (preventatively) and we are supposed to watch Skye fairly closely, given she is a bit small to give the meds to, but has been exposed as well (Eric and Brie had flu shots, and Patrick is rarely home). Rei has been out of school for this week again, but they are being great about it.
I am looking forward to next week when Liisa and Zack arrive. They will be here on the first and through the fifth. It will be wonderful to see her and spend some quality time getting to know Zack better on my turf. I really need to work on some of the house stuff, but honestly, my get-up-and-go is somewhere on strike, and I can't seem to get myself motivated to do much of anything. I did get my 34 year old cedar chest lid re-covered and padded, and it looks wonderful (got tired of the supplies shifting around and gathering dust). I am pleased with how it turned out, and only took about an hour or so to do by myself. I am almost done with the second sock for Februrary's SKA challenge, and I even finished chart 2 on the Evenstar shawl! It is looking lovely but there is a twisted stitch decrease that I have not yet mastered and I find myself doing it even in my dreams trying to wrap my mind around the directions for it... It's currently sitting back in "time-out" while I finish the sock and plan what one I want to do for March.
I am feeling guilty because a lot of what I haven't been doing I have blamed on Skye and the time I spend with her, but really, that isn't fair. I once upon a time managed to juggle a home daycare, chores, and projects, along with making meals and educational activities, so why am I feeling held hostage by one little girl? Some of it, quite honestly, is that I don't have the energy these days that I did 20 years ago to multitask and/or switch gears at a moment's notice; some of it is that I enjoy giving her undivided attention at times, when it's just her and I; and some of it is that so much of what I do/want to do isn't childproofed or child-contained. I can block her into the living room and much of there is childproofed, but the kitchen/sewing room/hallway/front room/stairs is unblockable, and she is quick and curious. She wants to be exploring and she isn't content to just stay by me in any one spot. This stops me from laying out patterns (unless I drag everything into the living room), or focusing on making anything elaborate in the kitchen (including doing dishes or mopping the floor) when she is underfoot, and she is NOT content to be in the living room or the high chair for any length of time "alone." Even 6 years ago when I had Justin, the house in Minneapolis was easy to zone and childproof, whereas here the "open floor plan" makes it a trial to have "containment areas" for her OR the dogs!
I am dreaming of making doll clothes and stitching on garments for me. I came across a website that has gorgeous heirloom stitched doll clothes on it for collector dolls that has me in awe, and I just got my little dragon boy from Denver Doll and he needs clothes (and he needs to have his wings, tail, and feet "painted" as well, something I am excited to try). I look, and I dream, and I plan, but so far it has all been a mental exercise without tangible outcomes. I would love to change that.
My class continues to be interesting, and I am looking forward to starting my paper. I have all my resources printed off and need to start reading them. That is one of my goals for this weekend when Eric is working. We went to the winery for dinner on Saturday night, and I have to acknowledge that it was the first time I was disappointed in the meal I ordered. I had ordered a chicken jambalaya, which had been the featured item at their Friday night MardiGras meal/special, but it was overcooked (leftover, I am guessing from the previous day) and while it had hotness to it, it was "tasteless" (or, as Eric said, there was one flavor to it rather than a blending of flavors). Not only didn't I care for it, I think it didn't agree with my system (esp. combined with wine), and I spent Sunday with an upset tummy all day/evening. I didn't even eat it all--Eric traded me his entree for mine and finished it for me, while I ate his much tastier Jack Daniels chicken, but the wines were nice, and we had a wonderful conversation about all kinds of things. They have a new strawberry wine (not yet labelled, so they can only sell it by the glass) that tastes like strawberry soda and is wonderful! Can't wait til it's labelled so we can buy it by the bottle. What we did discover is why we generally wait for nicer weather to go there: they had a wedding reception going in their reception room, so it was loud in the main wine tasting room, and when we took our bottle upstairs to drink it there wasn't as much "ambience" as there normally is when we go outside. The reception did feature a professional fireworks display that was short but lovely over the lake, and that was cool.
One drawback to my big boy being sick and self-quarentined to his room is that I have to wait on him, and I swear I am getting a workout running up and down the stairs.... Time to get him some lunch!
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